Receive the latest local updates in your inbox

When you're on the fairway, a big hole in the ground typically makes things difficult. But at Meadowbrook Park Golf Course in Arlington, it's making things better.
(Published Wednesday, Jul 2, 2014)

When you hit the links, a hole in the fairway can make things difficult for golfers, but at one Arlington golf course, a very deep hole is making things better for them.

When Maximo Ramos and his brother choose where to golf, how green the greens are plays heavily into their decision making. They say that’s why they enjoy going to Meadowbrook Park.

“Overall, the park is kept in real good condition,” said Ramos. “Even in the drought season, they keep it in real good condition.”

But that hasn’t been easy this year – because of drought restrictions, the team at Meadowbrook can only water the city-owned course twice a week. Since they feared they’d do more harm than good performing a rain dance, they had to come up with another way to keep things from drying out.

“Obviously turf is a major part of playing golf,” said Gary Packan, Assistant Director of Parks and Rec for the City of Arlington. “Being on well water allows us to use more water if we need to help maintain the golf course when it’s hot out.”

They’re in the process of drilling a water well on the course that will tap into an aquifer 850 feet below the ground. Once the well is drilled, water will be pumped into a pond on the course, which will feed directly into their irrigation system.

Packan says Arlington Water, the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation and a special natural gas drilling royalties fund are helping to pay for the project.

Not only does the well mean more frequent watering and better conditions for golfers, it also means the course will use a lot less water from city reservoirs.

“We’re estimating around 11 to 15 million gallons a year in savings,” said Packan.

That translates into a savings of $30,000, which Meadowbrook can use for other course needs.